- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
Leave the thoughts be and go about your daily routine. They don’t matter so treat them like they don’t matter.
So don't pay any attention to them?
@Hopeforthefuture I’ve always understood it as ackowledge the thoughts are there but let them go. Don’t assign unnecessary meaning to them. Easier said than done with OCD.
@Hopeforthefuture Don’t fight or get upset over them. Which is often said to be “accepting the thoughts” because fighting them or giving into compulsions and reassurance makes it all worse.
@Nica That makes sense!! Would it be okay if I just let them come and pass?
@Hopeforthefuture Yes, treat them like they’re passing clouds in the sky 😁
I wanted to start this off by saying my experience is not everyone's, and by not experience this how I do does not mean you don't have POCD. In my experience with OCD and specifically POCD, it feels like I'm playing a game of chess with myself. Like literally, I'm on both sides of the chess board, moving both sets of pieces. The only thing is, my POCD is controlling one set, and the part of me that is typing this is playing the other. The thing is though, the side that wants to win the hardest is the POCD. And it is more then happy to not play the game fairly. It tells me to trust it and move my pieces into traps that I KNOW are bad moves. But because I trust it I play along and get stabbed in the back everytime. The OCD tells me, "hey, move your rook there, it's a good move." And I do, then it takes me with a pawn. Not only making the game harder to win but also degrading me in the process, making me more desperate. That's what this does. It makes us engage in an intrusive thought, pushes us to walk into a trap by reassuring ourselves ( like moving the rook ), and the crushes us with more doubts, spiraling us deeper into this game of chess. Where we aren't playing, we are just hanging on. Sure, you may win a game once in a while, with logic and reassurance. But you will lose the majority. And the more you sit down to play that game of chess where the odds are stacked up against you, the more you will lose. I challenge you to not even sit down. To see the game, acknowledge it and let it go. Be comfortable in the uncertainty that you could have won or lost. Let your POCD get bored and move on too. Walk right past it and let the thought be, don't give it meaning, don't play the game. THAT, is how you win the game. By not even playing. I hope this helped some of you like it helped me.
Amazing, thanks a lot I am trying to accepting the doubt I could be bisexual, but that generates lots of questions sometimes and a fearful feeling...which brings the need of more rumination..
@AndreaRolle Right, remind yourself OCD feeds off of reassurance
@Anonymous Yeah, it's over hard sometimes to be aware of each single thought. Sometimes I discover I'm reassuring myself without even realising. That's why I probably need to train more on erp...
How do I stop letting my intrusive thoughts control me? Ive been having them for almost a year, once I graduated, become more isolated and lost more friends they've become worse. I feel like when I had friends and was still going to school they weren't as bad probably because I was living more so I didn't take them as seriously. But now that Im home all day and alone they've gotten worse and it feels like they're starting to control my life. Theres times where Im on social media and eventually I forget about them but then when I realize I forgot about them they come back. Sometimes the thought just lingers it doesn't even just pop in my head and go away. I can't tell anyone in my family because they'd judge me for the thoughts and they don't really believe in mental illnesses. I also sometimes think of what other people may think of me if they knew the thoughts I had and it makes it worse. How do I stop letting these thoughts control/trigger me and stop reacting or feeling some type of way about them.
What's a piece of advice you give when someone has constantly intrusive thoughts and ruminations that won't stop? Interested to see what you tell others.....more on this when I see some replies!!!
I don’t know how to explain this so I’ll do it to the best of my ability. Does anyone experience “co-intrusive” thoughts that try to negatively support the initial intrusive thought? Example: Me: “Thank God I never acted on (scary intrusive thought) & I’m getting better!” Intrusive thought: “What a shame you didn’t” These types of things send me into a spiral. It makes me think that it could lead to a desire instead of staying a fear. Like an intrusive disappointment that I didn’t follow through with the thought? It’s been a long fear/obsession & I think my OCD is trying to trick me that the only satisfaction would be to act on the thought. (I know that’s bs) But IS that why it sends me the negative co-intrusive thoughts? That’s the only explanation that makes sense. Then I wonder is it something else? Am I a grenade waiting to explode??? I simply cannot relax in any moment because I think what’s the use if I’m just going to (xyz) one day?
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond